Can-opener.



' [INF W. P. GRUNER.

CAN OPENER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. '14. 1916.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

WILLIAM P. GRUNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed February 14, 1916. Serial N 0. 78,226.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. GRUNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Can- Openers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it' appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to can openers of the type that comprises a verticallydisposed member that is adapted to be forced downwardly into engagement with the head of a can, and a horizontallydisposed arm revolubly mounted on said member and provided with a knife blade or cutting device for severing the head of the can.

One object of my invention is to provide a can opener of the general type referred to, which is so constructed that the can being opened will be centered and clamped securely in position before the cutting de-v vice on the swingingarm is forced down-- wardly through the head of the can, this being accomplished by mounting the cutter-v carrying arm in such a manner that it can be moved vertically with relation to the member on which it is revolubly mounted.

Another object is to provide a can opener of the type just referred to, in which the cutter-carrying arm is so mounted that it will move upwardly automatically, and

thus disengage the cutter from the head of.

the can as soon as the operator releases said arm. And still another object of my invention is to provide a can opener of the type mentioned, in which the cuttercarrying arm is so mounted that the cutter travels in a substantially vertical path when A desi mates a base or su porting member on whistle is adapts to be. arranjeclas shown in l; B designates a stan, er

projecting upwardly from said base and provlded at its upper end with a laterallyprojecting portion 1 that hangs over the base A, and C designates a verticallydisposed can-holding member that is adjustably mounted in a collar 2 on the laterallyprojecting portion of the standard B, said collar having a set screw 3, or other suitable means, for clamping the member C in adjusted position. It is immaterial how the base and the standard B are constructed, but I prefer to form said parts from metal and'integrally connect them together, either the base or the standard'being provided with means for securing the can opener to a supporting structure. In the form of my invention herein shown the standard B is substantially T-shaped in horizontal cross section, and one flange of same is provided with holes 4 for receiving screws or other suitable fastening devices that secure the can opener to a wall or upright.

The member G is provided at its lower end with a piercing point 5 that penetrates the head. of the can when the member C is forced downwardly, and a shoulder 6 is formed on the member C at the base of the piercing point 5, so as to form a flat bearing surface that will engage the top face of-the head of the can, and thus securely clamp the can on the base A. If desired, the piercing point 5 may be provided with a notch 5 as shown in Fig. 2, so as to prevent the severed head of the can from slipping off the piercing point 5 when the member C is moved upwardly, after the operation of opening the can has been completed.

- An arm D that is revolubly mounted on the vertically-disposed member C is pro vided with a knife blade or cutting device 7 for severing the head of the can, said cutting device being preferably adjustably mounted on the arm D so that it can be moved toward and away from the axis about which the arm D swings in a'horizontal direction, and thus enable the device to be used for opening cans of various sizes. In the preferred form' of my invention, as herein shown, the device 7 is provided with a V-shaped piercing point which is flat onits inner vertical side, as shown in Fig. 1, and curved on its outer side, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forming a double-edged cutting device that will turn over the edge of the opening that is formed in the head of the earthy removing the center portion ef-thie head. The device 7 is slidingly mounted on the arm D and it is provided with a set screw, or other suitable device 8, for clamping it in adjusted position. Instead of mounting the arm D directly on the mem ber C, I prefer to mount .said arm on a bearing "E that is revolubly mounted on the member C in proximity to the lower end thereof, said arm being connected to the bearing E in such a manner that the arm and the cutting device 7 thereon can be moved vertically with relation to 'the cam holding member C. The bearing E is retained in operative position on the member 0 by means of two cross pins 91on the member 20 that are arranged above and below the bearing E, and the arm D is pivotally connected :to a lateral extension 10 on the bearing that projects laterally some dis tance from the can-holding member C, as shown in :Fig. 3. The purpose of mounting the arm D in this manner is to insure the cutting device .7 traveling in a substantially vertical path when it enters the .head of the can, during the first part of ;the operation of opening the can, .the lateral projection 10 on the bearing E making it possible to .use:a comparatively long arm D ::to carry theicutting device. The arm D is provided with a bifurcated portion 11 that straddles the bearing E, and said parts are pivotally connected together by a horizontally-disposed pin :12 that passes through same some distance from the vertical :aXis about which the bearing E revolves.

A means is provided for normally holding the free end of the arm D in .a slightly elevated position and for automatically moving the cutting device .7 out of engagement with the. head of the can when the operator releases the :arm D. This can be accomplished in various .ways, but in the embodiment of my invention herein illustrated a coiled spring 13 is used for normally :holding the arm D in .an upwardlyinclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, said spring 13 being mounted on the pintle pin 12 in a notch 14 formed in the bearing E, and having its opposite ends arranged in engagement with the bearing E and with a' bracket :15 that projects forwardly from one of the side .pieces ofthe bifurcated portion of the arm D. A

To open a can with a can opener of the construction above described, the operator arranges the can on the base A and then moves the member 0 downwardly, so that the piercing point at :the lowerend of same will penetrate the head of the can, and thus center the can in operative position on the base A of the device, "the set screw 3 being thereafter tightened, so :as atO retain the member :0 in adjusted position. After :the cutting device 7 has been set in proper position on the arm 1), the free end of :said

arm is moved downwardly, so as to cause the cutting device 7 to penetrate the head of the can, and thereafter said arm D is swung in a horizontal plane, so as to form a cut in the head of the can concentric with the vertically-disposed can-holding mem- After the set screw 8 has been loosened, the

member C can .be moved upwardly, so that it will clear the upper edgeof :the can, the notch in the piercing point at the lower end of said member operating to prevent the severed portionof .the head from dropping downwardly into the can.

WVith a can opener of the construction above described very little pressure is requ-iredito form the initialcut in the head of the can, :owing to the fact that the cutting device is not forced into the head of the can until after the can has been centered by forcing the piercing point on the member C through the head. Still another desirable featureiof such a can-opener is that .thecut ting device is carried by a comparatively long arm which is pivotally mounted in such a manner that the cutting device travels in practically a vertical path when it penetratesthe head of the can to :formthe initial cut, thus enabling the cutting device to easily penetrate the head of the can, when the operator exerts a slight downward, pressure on the arm D. lhe fact that the cutting device -.is moved automatically out of engagement with the head of the can as soon as the arm D is released, is a desirable feature of my improved :can opener, and the factthat the device 7 :formsa clean cut with a turned over edge, is also another very desirable feature. In addition to the desirable :features above mentioned, my improved canopener can be manufactured cheaply, on accountof its'simplicity ofconstruction, the parts being so designed that they can be formed easily from'cast metal or from sheet metal stampings and assembled with practically no machine work.

Having thus described my invention, what Lclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed member that is adapted itO be moved into engagement with the head of a can to reenter the can, .an arm revolubly mounted on .said member and -provided with a cuttingdevice for-severing the :head of the can, :said arm being pivotally mounted, and means that tends to hold the free end of said arm, in an elevated .po'siticni 2. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed member that is adapted to be moved into engagement with the head of a can to center the can, a vertically-swinging arm revolubly mounted on said member and provided with a, device for severing the head of the can, and resilient means that causes the free end of said arm to be normally held in an elevated position.

3. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed member that is adapted to be moved into engagement with the head of a can to center the'can, a bearing revolubly mounted on said member, a vertically-swing ing arm pivotally connected to a lateral extension on said bearing and provided with a cutting device for severing the head of the can, and means that tends to hold the free end of said arm in an elevated position.

i. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed member that is adapted to be moved into engagement with the head of a can, a bearing on said member that can turn thereon, a member oined to said bearing by a pivotal connection which permits said member to swing about a horizontal axis. and a cutting device on said member that enters the head of the can and forms a circular cut in same when the free end of said member is depressed and then swung in a horizontal plane.

5. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed member that is adapted to be moved into engagement with the head of a can, a bearing on said member that can turn in a horizontal plane, a vertically swinging arm having a portion that straddles said bearing and which is joined to same by a horizontallydisposed pivotal connection, and a cutting device on said arm.

6. A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed can-centering member, a revoluble bearing on said member provided with a lateral extension, avertically-swinging arm having a bifurcated portion that straddles said bearing and which is joined to said extension by a pivotal connection which permits said arm to swing about a horizontallydisposed axis, and a cutting device on said arm.

7 A can opener, comprising a verticallydisposed can-centering member, a revoluble bearing on said member provided with a lateral extension, a vertically-swinging arm having a bifurcated portion that straddles said bearing and which is connected to said extension, a cutting device on said arm, and a coiled spring" arranged in engagement with said bearing and with the bifurcated portion of said arm for normally holding the free end of said arm in an elevated position.

8. A can opener,- comprising a base provided with a standard, a vertically-adjustable member carried by said standard and provided at its lower end with a piercing point and with a fiat surface that is adapted to bear on the top face of the head of a can, a revoluble bearing on said member provided with a lateral extension, a verticallymovable arm provided with a cutting device, a bifurcated portion on said arm that straddles said bearing and which is pivotally connected to the extension on said bearing, and a coiled spring arranged in a notch in said extension with one of its ends in engagement with said bearing and with its opposite end in engagement with a bracket on the bifurcated portion of said arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this eleventh day of February, 1916.

WVILLIAM P. GRUNER.

Witnesses:

WELLS L. CHURoH, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, .D. G. 

